Seoul , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for the brother of President Lee Myung-bak on bribery charges , a court official said Wednesday , dealing a blow to the governing party ahead of elections later this year .

Lee Sang-deuk , a former six-term lawmaker , has been charged over allegations he received about half a million dollars from the savings banks Solomon and Mirae in exchange for exerting influence over officials investigating the banks , the court official said .

He was taken to a detention center early Wednesday after the issuing of the arrest warrant , said the court official , who declined to be identified because she is not authorized to speak publicly on the case .

Lee Sang-deuk is considered to have been the major force behind Lee Myung-bak 's presidential election in 2007 .

The incumbent president wo n't be running for re-election later this year because the law limits presidents to only one five-year term , but the arrest taints the image of his governing party .

Lee Sang-deuk 's lawyer did not return calls seeking comment on Wednesday .

The president 's brother said he was sorry as he was taken to the detention center but did not comment further , South Korea 's Yonhap news agency reported .

The operations of Solomon and Mirae were suspended in May for six months by the authorities , prompting anger from people who were unable to retrieve money they had deposited in the banks .

Lee Sang-deuk is not the first relative of a South Korean president to face criminal charges .

`` Families of former presidents have been misusing power before , '' said Kwang Won-taek , professor at Seoul National University . `` The current 's president 's term is going to end soon and the suspicions are surfacing . ''

Former President Roh Moo-hyun committed suicide in 2009 amid an investigation into a bribery scandal that had tarnished his reputation . His older brother was convicted and sentenced to prison .

And former President Kim Dae-jung 's three sons were also imprisoned for corruption by the end of his presidential term .

Lee Sang-deuk 's arrest came after the announcement by Park Geun-hye , the daughter of former President Park Chung-hee , that she would be running for president this year .

Park Chung-hee , who was shot and killed by his intelligence chief in 1979 , stirs mixed reactions among South Koreans .

Some members of older generations consider him a national hero who built up the nation 's economy , but some critics say he was a dictator who abused human rights .

Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that she would aim for `` transparent , capable , and service-oriented government '' if she were to be elected , Yonhap reported .

Her mother was shot and killed in 1974 by a Japanese-born Korean who had close ties to North Korea .

@highlight

Lee Sang-deuk is seen as a major force in the president 's election

@highlight

He is alleged to have received money from troubled savings banks

@highlight

Relatives of previous South Korean presidents have also faced charges

@highlight

The daughter of a former president says she will run for president this year